Lillo Brancato Jr. gets 10 years for botched burglary

Former ?Sopranos? actor Lillo Brancato Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for his role in a botched burglary that took the life of an off-duty New York City police officer. Brancato was found

News 12 Staff

May 27, 2014, 9:45 PM

Updated 3,787 days ago

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Former ?Sopranos? actor Lillo Brancato Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for his role in a botched burglary that took the life of an off-duty New York City police officer.
Brancato was found not guilty on murder charges in December, but was convicted on an attempted burglary charge. The actor?s accomplice, Steven Armento, is serving a life sentence. Prosecutors say the two broke into a Pelham Bay apartment in 2005 to steal prescription drugs. Off-duty officer Daniel Enchautegui, who lived next door to the apartment, confronted the two men. Armento then shot him.
In court Friday, Brancato stated he was remorseful and admitted he made mistakes in his life.
However, the victim?s sister, Yolanda Rosa, was outraged by the verdict. Rosa and more than a dozen NYPD officers who accompanied her to court demanded the maximum sentence of 15 years for Brancato for his role in Enchautegui?s death.
Brancato was acquitted of the higher charges of felony murder, two counts of burglary and a separate count of attempted burglary.
"No matter what the jury said, he's a murderer," Rosa says. "He knows he's a murderer."
Brancato?s attorney says his client will most likely get out in five years on good behavior. He adds that the 32-year-old actor intends to do something positive with his life.
"His words were, 'This is going to be good for me. I'll use five years to straighten myself out and put thoughts together and get ready to re-enter society as a young man,'" says attorney Joseph Tacopina.
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